The present invention generally relates to nondestructive evaluation of metallic structures and, more particularly, is concerned with pulsed eddy current linear and two-dimensional sensor array probes for electrically conducting component inspection.
As the commercial and military aircraft fleets age, the development of reliable and accurate techniques for inspecting aircraft components become increasingly important. Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of aircraft components is used to inspect aircraft components, while maintaining aircraft and component integrity. Corrosion and fatigue are potential sources of damage to the airframe, which may cause subsurface flaws. The presence of both surface cracks and subsurface flaws in metallic structures, such as aircraft skin structures, have the potential to lead to component failure. Various inspection methods have been used for crack and flaw detection with varying degrees of success.
One prior art inspection method uses eddy current probes, which can give an indication of depth to ascertain crack and flaw severity in conducting components. More particularly, eddy current inspection with harmonic excitation is a commonly used technique for nondestructive testing of aircraft skin. Eddy current inspection is based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. Typically, a drive coil is employed to induce eddy currents into the material under inspection. A magnetic field sensor such as inductive coil, Giant Magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor or Hall effect element detects secondary magnetic fields resulting from the eddy currents. The depth of the induced eddy currents depends on the frequency of the excitation current. Low frequency eddy currents can penetrate several conductive layers of a layered structure, which is advantageous for inspecting aircraft structures, such as lap joints, relative to other inspection techniques, such as ultrasonic and thermal inspection methods, which require mechanical or thermal coupling between the layers, respectively.
A variety of approaches have been proposed to increase the sensitivity and convenience of eddy current inspection. For example, the pulsed eddy current inspection technique was developed to overcome problems of conventional eddy current inspection associated with harmonic (sinusoidal) excitation. An example of this approach is given in the article “Measurement of Coating Thicknesses by Use of Pulsed Eddy Current” written by Donald L. Waidelich and published in the Nondestructive Testing Journal in 1956, pages 14-15. More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,768, entitled “Pulsed Eddy Current Inspections and the Calibration and Display of Inspection Results,” describes a method for forming eddy current images from data acquired by a single probe using pulsed excitation. However, U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,768 is directed to inspecting a sample for flaws by mechanically scanning a single probe in two dimensions. Naturally, achieving full coverage with a single eddy current probe is very time consuming.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,712, entitled “Apparatus and Method for Imaging Metallic Objects Using an Array of Giant Magnetoresistive Sensors,” describes application of a two-dimensional array of GMR sensors for graphical representation of detected metallic objects. U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,809, entitled “Giant Magnetoresistive Sensors and Sensor Arrays for Detection and Imaging of Anomalies in Conductive Materials,” describes the use of GMR sensors for nondestructive evaluation of conductive materials. However, these patents are not directed to the use of pulsed eddy currents, nor to data collection and processing techniques that can be used to form a two-dimensional image of a detected flaw.
Consequently, a need still exists for an innovation that will improve the productivity of eddy current inspection of airframes to permit detailed, periodic inspection of aircraft. Moreover, there exists a need for an improved eddy current inspection technique to achieve full coverage of the inspection area, to inspect for subsurface defects and defects in layered components, and to efficiently form two-dimensional images of detected flaws.